China has decided to halt exports of poultry and related products from three additional regions with suspected bird flu outbreaks, announced the State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (SAQSIQ) Friday.

The areas affected by the export ban include Shanghai, east China's Anhui Province and south China's Guangdong Province, increasing the possible bird flu-hit provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the Chinese mainland to six.

In the announcement, the SAQSIQ urged local quarantine institutions to stop exports of poultry and related products from central China's Hubei and Hunan provinces, where bird flu cases have been confirmed, and halt the exports of poultry and fowl products from Shanghai, Anhui and Guangdong to other regions including Hong Kong and Macao.

The SAQSIQ also asked quarantine bureaus of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen and Zhuhai to strengthen quarantine supervision over poultry providers to Hong Kong and Macao.

The suspected bird flu cases are under investigation for further diagnosis and no human cases of bird flu have been reported in the affected areas. Concerned local governments have forced sweeping poultry slaughter, quarantine and vaccination measures to control the epidemic.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Commerce issued an announcement jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture, General Administration of Customs and the SAQSIQ, prohibiting the exports of poultry products from southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hubei and Hunan, where first bird flu cases on Chinese mainland were reported on Tuesday. 

(People’s Daily January 31, 2004)